Suction nozzle



` Jam. 21, 1936. G. A. YEDD sUcTIoN NozZLE Filed March 7, 1953 A TTORNEY Patented Jan. 2l, 1936 UNITED ,STATES masse SUCTION N OZZLE Guy A. Yedd, Oakland, Calif., assignor of onehalf to John R. Pusey, Oakland, Calif.

Application March 7, 1933, Serial No. 659,935

7 Claims.

The invention relates to a nozzle for use in hydraulic mining.

An object of the invention is to provide a suction nozzle which is particularly adapted for use in the mining art for removing deposits from basins or crevices in bedrock.

Another object of the invention is to provide a suction nozzle which is operable as an oscillating drill or reamer for gaining access to material to be removed through the nozzle.

Yet another object is to provide for an impact actuation o-f the nozzle during its aforesaid use as a drill or reamer.

An added object is to provide a nozzle of the character described which is particularly adapted for direct manual manipulation and control by a diver at its point of use.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth or be apparent in the following description of a typical embodiment thereof, and in the accompanying drawing in which,

Figure 1 is a side view of a nozzle embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a section at 2-2 in Figure l.

Figure 3 is an enlarged section at 3-3 in Figure l.

Figure 4 lis an enlarged perspective View of a closure member of the structure.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal and axial section of the nozzle.

Figures 6 and 7 are enlarged side and end views of a tip member of the nozzle.

Figure 8 discloses the nozzle in operative association with a pneumatic hammer and as being applied by a diver to a submerged deposit.

'The present nozzle assembly is that which is disclosed in lesser detail in my copending application, Ser. No. 659,934, for United States Letters Patent on a Mining system and apparatus. As illustrated, the disclosed nozzle II essentially comprises a shaft I2 terminating in a removable tip I3 and provided with an interior longitudinal duct I4 for connection with a suction hose line I5 of a pump (not shown), said duct receiving material through hereinafter described end and side openings of the nozzle shaft.

Adjacent its upper end, the nozzle shaft carries a collector head I6, said head being formed in the present instance as a hollow rectangular box having aligned openings II for sealedly receiving the shaft I2 therethrough, as particularly shown, stuiing boxes I 8 are provided at the openings I7 for sealing the openings and securing the box I6 in xed position on thel shaft.l A nipple I9 is threadedly engaged through an opening 2| in a side Wall of the box for providing a connection with the suction hose I5, and a clean-out plug 22 is provided in an opening 23 in the opposite box wall. Preferably, and as shown, the plug 22 carries a handle 24, it being noted that this handle and the hose portion at the nipple I9 provides means whereby an operator may hold and manipulate the nozzle as may be required during its working application. In the present instance, the shaft I 2 is of uniform cross-section and the duct I4 extends axially therethrough from a point opposite the box I 6 to the bit end of the shaft. Radial y ports 25 are provided through the tubular portion of the shaft at the box I6 whereby the duct I4 may discharge into the box space about the shaft and so into the suction hose I5.

The tip I3, it will now be noted, comprises a tubular base portion 26 which is threadedly engaged within the open end of the shaft I2 and provides a continuation of the duct I4. The exposed portion of the present tip I3 is generally pyramidal in outline and the faces thereof are provided with concavities 28 from the bottoms tion 21 intersect at relatively sharp edges 3I whereby the tip portion 21 generally comprises a conical reamer.

The portion of the shaft I2 between the head I6 and the tip I3 is externally formed vwith a series of longitudinal grooves 32 symmetrically arranged about the shaft whereby the grooved shaft portion resembles a cylindrical reamer. Ports 33 extend into the shaft duct I4 from the inner sides of the grooves 32, said ports spaced apart in the grooves and spirally aligned about the shaft whereby they provide a succession of inlets to the duct I4 varying distances from the nozzle tips.

During a Working application of the nozzle, it is generally desirable that only those ports 33 be open which are adjacent material to be moved, and to this end individual closure members 34 are provided for application at the ports to be closed. As particularly illustrated, the grooves Vplates of like section for retention in the grooves against lateral removal from the shaft while slidable in the grooves. Setscrews 35 are threadedly engaged in the closure blocks 34 radially of the shaft for forcible engagement with the groove bottom for releasably securing the blocks in fixed position in the grooves whereby said blocks may be set and fixed in either operative or inoperative relation to the ports 33.

In the present instance, the heads of the setscrews 35 are countersunk in the blocks 34, while the screw tips are arranged to engage in sockets or depressions provided in the inner wall of the groove at appropriate points thereof. When a port 33 is to be open, the corresponding closure member 34 is arranged to be held and disposed immediately above the port in the relation disclosed in Figures l and 5; in this manner, the lower and outer block edges may be operative as cutters against material contacted by them, said edges being sharpened if desired. Y

Preferably, and as shown, the upper end portion of the nozzle shaft I2 is formed for mounted insertion in the chuck 36 of a pneumatic hammer 31, said hammer of an impact type now used to actuate rock drills and digger tools and other types of bits requiring a hammering actuation thereof. A hose 38 conveys actuating air to the hammer, while the exhaust air from the hammer is preferably discharged at the surface of the body of water in which the nozzle is used through a hose 39 terminating at a float 4I. The aforesaid disposition of the exhaust air from the hammer 31 prevents any interference of bubbles or air discharge with the operations of a diver 42 applying the nozzle under water, as is illustrated in Figure 8.

It willnow be noted that in applying the nozzle under water, the diver may insert the suction tip I3 in a crevice 43 or in a pot hole 44 or in other depressions or basins containing deposits of heavier materials which may be expected to include particles of precious metals such as gold or platinum. Since the diver directly handles the nozzle, he may dispose the same at the proper location and angle for greatest efficiency of operation. For working in a crevice or beside a deposit to be removed, appropriate side ports 33 would be opened. If the particles of the material to be removed are mutually adherent for preventing a suction removal thereof, the same may usually be mutually separated by oscillating the nozzle in its place for loosening the material of the deposit.

For deposits which are hard packed and in crevicing with the nozzle, the hammer 31 would be energized whereby a power drilling may be effected as the nozzle is oscillated by the diver. By the use of the side' ports 33, all material loosened as the nozzle progresses through a deposit toward the bottom of a crevice or bedrock hole is removed through the nozzle. While the present device is primarily designed for use in placer mining, it is noted that the described drilling and reaming features are operative for effecting the removal of material from submerged veins or lodes containing precious metals, at least to an exploratory degree. It will, of course, be obvious that other types of suction tips than that shown may be used with the nozzle for meeting special operative conditions.

In view of the foregoing, it will be understood Athat the diver may apply the nozzle of present invention either with or without effecting a manual oscillation thereof, or with or without an actuation of the pneumatic hammer. Furtherannesso more, the nozzle may be used and applied without any association thereof with a hammer means, the disclosed association being generally preferable however, since the diver is thereby prepared to meet a maximum number of situations as he explores and works a stream bed with the nozzle. Since a stream bed may contain boulders which cover deposits to be removed, the shaft I2 is preferably of appropriate length and strength for use as a pry-bar, such use of the nozzle being indicated in Figure 8.

' From the foregoing description taken in con-- nection with the accompanying drawing, the advantages of the construction and method of operation will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have described the principle of operation, together with a device which I now consider to be a. preferred embodiment thereof, I `desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made, when desired, as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having now described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States the following:

1. In an hydraulic suction nozzle, a tubular shaft having a longitudinal external groove therein, a port connecting said groove withthe duct of the shaft, a closure member for said port engaged entirely in said groove, and means to fix said closure member in either operative or inoperative relation to said port while disposed in the groove.

2. In an hydraulic suction nozzle, a tubular shaft having a longitudinal external groove of uniform cross-section therein, said groove widest at its inner side, a port connecting the inner side of the groove with the duct of the shaft, a closure member for said port slidably engaged in said groove, said member of complementary cross-section to the groove, and a set-screw engaged in said member and operative against the shaft at the inner side of said groove to releasably x the member therein in adjusted relation to said port. Y

3. In a suction line nozzle of the class described, a tubular shaft having a longitudinal external groove therein whereby the shaft portion thereatis generally operative as a reamer, a port connecting said groove with the duct of the shaft, a closure member for said port slidably engaged in said groove, and means to x said closure member in either operative or inoperative relation to said port. Y

4. In a drilling tool of the class described, a tubular shaft having a longitudinal external groove therein whereby said shaft is generally operativel as a reamer, a plurality of mutually spaced ports connecting the bottom of said Ygroove with the duct of the shaft, and means operative Within the confines of the shaft to independently close selected said ports.

5. In a drilling tool of the character described, a tubular shaft having a plurality of longitudinal external grooves therein whereby said shaft is generally operative as a reamer, ports extending from said grooves to the duct of the shaft and at varying distances from the forward shaft end whereby said ports define a line thereof extending spirally around the shaft, and means operative within the confines of the shaft to independently and selectively close one or more of said ports.

6. In a drilling tool of the class described, a

tubular shaft having a longitudinal external groove of uniform cross-section therein, a port connecting the groove with the duct of the shaft, a closure member for said port engaged in and adjustable along said groove, said member of complementary cross-section to the groove and provided with a free cutting edge at the juncture of its outer face with an end face thereof, and means cooperative between the shaft and the closure member to ix the latter in either operative or inoperative relation to said port while it is disposed in said groove.

7. An hydraulic suction line nozzle comprising a tubular shaft of uniform circular cross-section terminating at a boring bit for providing a bore no larger than the shaft, said shaft having a longitudinal groove therein terminating at said bit whereby said shaft is arranged to be generally operative as a reamer in a bore provided by the bit, and a plurality of mutually spaced ports connecting the bottom of said grooves with the duct of the shaft.

GUY A. YEDD. 

